第33章

5. "In revolving the plans of your government, never hesitate to acknowledge the difficulty of the subject.Some things have to be abolished, and some to be adopted:—going out and coming in, seek the judgment of your people about them; and when there is a general agreement, exert your own powers of refiection.

6. When you have any good plans or counsels, enter and lay them before your sovereign in his palace.Thereafter, when you are acting abroad in accordance with them, say, ＇This plan or this view is all due to our sovereign.＇ Oh! if all ministers were to act thus, how excellent would they be, and how distinguished!"

5. 圖厥政,—＇planning your govt.＇ The 爾, lower down, shows that we are to take 厥 in the second person. Compare the same expression in Bk. XVIII., pp. 15, 16. 莫或不艱 may be taken imperatively, as in the translation, or indicatively,—＇there will perhaps always be difficulties＇. 눕入自爾師虞,—the 눕入 seem to trouble the critics considerably. Ying Yung (應鏞) says on them:—눕上之意以達之떘, 入떘之言, 以達之上, ＇giving out the views of the sovereign to make them known to the people; bringing in the words of thepeople to make them known to the sovereign;＇ comp. on the ＇Can. of Shun,＇ p. 25. Ch＇in Ta-yew says—눕謀之國人, 入謀之左右, ＇going out, consider the matters with the people; coming in, consider them with your associates＇. But we may very well translate the terms literally, and consider the meaning as= ＇always and everywhere＇. 師=眾, ＇all＇, ＇the multitude of the people＇.虞=度, ＇to calculate＇, ＇to consider＇. 言땢則繹,—＇when their words agree, then unroll the matter＇, i.e., come to your own decision. Compare 克由繹之,—Bk. XIX., p. 19. Gan-kwǒ gives for 繹 here—陳而布之;—not so well.

[In the Le Ke, Bk. 緇衣, p. 19, we find the words quoted from ＇The Keun-ch＇in＇—눕入自爾師虞, 庶言땢, the concluding 則繹 being omitted.]

6. 謀 is defined by Ts＇ae as 言切於事, ＇words important to business＇; and 猷 as 言合於道, ＇words agreeing with reason＇. The ＇plans＇ and ＇counsels＇ of the translation seem to correspond to the characters. Of 良顯 it is said—良以德言, 顯以名言, ＇良 has reference to virtue; 顯 to fame＇.

The critics take different views of king Ching＇s requirement in this par., that he should himself have all the credit of Keun-ch＇in＇s wisdom and successes. Some, like a 葛氏, quoted by Ts＇ae, see in it a disclosure of the king＇s weakness and vanity. Others would make the king be speaking of Keun-ch＇in＇s ways in the past.—＇When you had good plans and counsel,you entered,＇ &c. This construction is not natural; and besides it would not much lighten the conclusion as to the king＇s unjust vanity.

7. The king said, "Keun-ch＇in, do you give their full development to the great lessons of the duke of Chow.Do not rely on your power to exercise oppression; do not rely on the laws to practise extortion. Be gentle,but with strictness of rule. Promote harmony by the display of an easy forbearance.

8. "When any of the people of Yin are amenable to the laws, if I say ＇Punish,＇ do not you therefore punish; and if I say ＇Spare＇, do not you therefore spare.

9. Seek the due course. Those who are disobedient to your government, and uninfluenced by your instructions, you will punish, remembering that the end of punishment is to make an end of punishing.

Many critics endeavour to make it out that the king is only laying down what ministers should do with a lofty superiority to the imputation of vanity to which it might subject himself! The truth is, king Ching was but a very ordinary man.

[The whole of this par. is found, quoted from ＇The Keun-ch＇in,＇ in the Le Ke, Bk. 坊記, p. 15.]

Ch. III. Pp. 7—14. THAT KEUN-CH＇IN＇S GRAND OBJECT SHOULD BE TO CARRY OUT THE PLANS OF THE DUKE OF CHOW, WITH THE SPIRIT AND MEASURES IN WHICH HE SHOULD DO THIS.

7. It is observed by Hea Sëen that this paragraph describes the way in which Keun-ch＇in should carry out the plans of his predecessor among the people of Yin who did not violate the laws. There must be an absence of all oppression, but generosity must at the same time be accompanied with firmness.

作威= ＇to play the awe-inspiring＇. 無(=毋) 倚法以削削,—= ＇to cut＇, ＇to pare＇. Its application here is to the practice of extortion. Keun-ch＇in it is observed by Lin Che-k＇e, was not likely to do either of the things against which he is here warned, but it was right for the king to speak to him as he does, as it was right for Shun＇s counsellors to warn him against vices from which as a sage he was far removed. 從容以和,—＇be easy and tolerating to harmonize＇. The meaning seems to be that Keun-ch＇in should carry himself easily and forbearingly, and so effect a harmony between the people and himself and his measures. Ts＇ae explains the clause—和不녦一於和, 必從容以和之, 而後녦以和厥꿗, which Kǎng-yay says he does not understand.Ts＇ae has a trick of poising his sentences, with morereference to their sound than their sense.

Pp. 8—10. These parr. regard how Keun-ch＇in should deal with the people who were transgressors of the laws. He should have respect to the decisions of the law, and to the end of all law; and to nothing else. 8 .在闢辟,—=法, ＇the laws＇, meaning the punishments assigned by them. The ＇Daily Explanation＇ for 殷民在辟, gives—凡此殷民, 苟有犯法而入於刑辟之內者. 惟厥꿗=惟當審其輕重之꿗, ＇you ought simply to judge according to the due medium of lightnessand severity＇. The case which the emperor puts here is a very remarkable one,—that of himself seeking to interfere with the operation of the laws, and yet telling Keun-ch＇in not to pay regard to him. There are both weakness and goodness in what he says. 9. 若=順. 辟以꿀辟乃辟,—this would seem to say that even in such cases, where punishment was inevitable, it should be modified by a consideration of the end of all punishment. But the idea of a modification of the punishment is out of place; and therefore Gaubil has probably given the real meaning of the passage by translating—＇vou doves les punir séverement, afin d＇empêcher que les autres ne tombent dans les mêmes fautes＇.

10. Those who are inured to villainy and treachery,those who violate the constant duties of society,and those who introduce disorder into the public manners:—those three classes you will not spare,though their particular offences be but small.

11. "Be not passionate with the obstinate, and dislike them. Seek not every quality in one individual.

12. You must have patience and you will be successful; have forbearance and your virtue will be great.

10. 狃=習, ＇practised＇, ＇habitually given to＇. —敗常,comp. 反道敗德, ＇Counsels of Yu＇, p. 20; and 欲敗度,縱敗禮, ＇T＇ae-këǎ,＇ Pt. ii., p. 3. Wang Ts＇ëaou refers,pertinently enough, to Bk. IX., p. 15, for instances of the crimes which are thus described. P. 16 may also illustrate the 亂俗. 三細不宥=人犯此三者, 雖께罪, 亦不녦宥. Sun Ke-yew (孫繼有) observes:—三細, 非以三者為細也, 三事꿗所犯亦自有大께, 舉께以該大.

Pp. 11—13. How Keun-ch＇in should show patience and generous forbearance in dealing with the people. 11. 無 (=毋) 忿疾,—＇do not burst out into anger, and cherish dislike against＇. 疾 is the abiding of the 忿;—comp.身有所忿懥, 云云, ＇Great Learning＇, Comm., vii. 1. By 頑 are intended the ＇stupidly obstinate＇ people of Yin, who should continue opposed to the sway of Chow. They would give occasion for the ＇patience＇, immediately spoken of. 無求備於一꽬,—comp. Ana. XVIII., x., 無求備於一人. This regards the people of Yin, who might be prepared to submit cordially, and who would give occasion for a ＇generous forbearance＇.

12 .若有忍, 其乃有濟—this appears in the 國語, as from the Shoo, but slightly varied,—必有忍也, 若能有濟也. Comp. Ana., XV., xxxvi.

有容, 德乃大—＇have forbearance, and the virtue is great＇.—Ts＇ae says:—＇Patience is associated with theissue of business; forbearance, with virtue. The king＇s discourse distinguishes these two things, as the one is more deep, and the other more shallow.＇ Forbearance then is superior to patience. Kǎng-yay condemns this reading of the text; but something of the sort seems to be implied. 13. 簡,—＇to select＇, meaning here ＇to mark＇, ＇to take distinguishing notice of,＇ whether in the way of approval or the contrary. On 簡厥至不修 the＇Daily Explanation＇ gives—有力田安居, 能修其職業者, 亦有遊手好閒, 不能修其職業者, 爾當簡其修者, 表厥宅里, 亦簡其不修者, 殊厥井疆, 不使混淆而無別, 則將修者益自奮, 而不修者亦知愧矣.

13. Mark those who manage their affairs well, and also mark those who do not do so. Advance the good to induce those who may not be so to follow theirexample.

14. "The people are born good, and are changed by external things, so that they resist what their superiors command, and follow what they themselves love. Do you but reverently observe all the statutes, and they will become virtuous; they will thus all be charged,and truly advance to a great degree of excellence.Then shall I, the one man, enjoy much happiness, and your excellent services will be famous through long ages!"

On 進厥良, 云云, Ts＇ae says:—進行義之良者亦率其不良, 則人勵行.

P. 14. The radical goodness of human nature always makes it capable of being reformed. What happy effects would follow from Keun-ch＇in＇s conducting his govt. to this issue. 惟民生厚,—compare Ana., VI., xvii., 人之生也直. Ts＇ae considers that 違上所命, 從厥所好 mean—＇They resist what their rulers only command, not exemplifying the same themselves, and follow what they love:＇ according to the teaching in the ＇Great Learning,＇ Comm., ix. 4. on this view the statement is that of another fact in the ways of men additional to what is said in the two previous clauses; and may be considered as the foundation of the 在德 in the admonition to Keun-ch＇in which follows.Another view, which I have followed, is ingeniously suggested by Wǎng Kǎng-yay. Acc. to it 違上所命, 從厥 (=其) 所好 is merely an expansion or illustration of因物有遷. The whole of Kǎng-yay＇s annotation on the passage is with reading=孩提之童, 皆知愛親, 及長皆知敬兄, 民生本厚也, 知誘物化, 然後百姓不親, 五品不遜者有之, 蓋因物有遷耳, 是以違上所命, 教令有所不行,從厥攸好, 而放, 僻, 邪, 侈, 無所不為, 厥者, 其也, 指民,而言自狗已所好耳, 以為從上所好者, 非也. 爾克敬典在德, —Ts＇ae makes this= ＇If you can reverently observe all the duties of society, and that with a real virtue,＇influenced no doubt by his view of 違上所命, 從厥所好. Our safer plan is to take 敬典 accord to its use in the＇Ann. to the prince of K＇an,＇ where it twice occurs;—in parr. 19 and 24. 在德 will then be descriptive of the conduct of the people thus ruled over. So, Lin Che-k＇e:—爾能敬典以導之, 其所行惟在於德, 則無有不變.＇If you can reverence the constant statutes, and so lead them on, what they do will be in the way of virtue, andso all will be changed.＇ 뀫升於大猷=信其能升進於大道. 其爾, 云云,—all this belongs to Keun-ch＇in. Ts＇ae is wrong in making 終有辭於永녡, belong both to him and the king.